Gas meter



June 7, 1932. J. R. ARMSTRONG GAS METER Filed March 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEY June 7, 1932. R ARMSTRbNG GAS METER Filed March 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT JAMES R. ARMSTRONG, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH EQUITABLE METER COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA GAS METER App1ication filed March 2, 1926. Serial No. 91,746.

My invention relates to improvements in gas meters and more particularly to the type of gas meters shown in my United States Letters Patent, Nos. 991,927 and 1,062,268.

5 An object of the present invention is to provide a construction embodying a two-part housing or casing divided horizontally into a lower and an upper section, each section being of relatively small height whereby the sections may be more easily made and the cost of manufacture considerably reduced. A

further object is to provide a construction employing strengthening means whereby the easing may be formed of light material but of the required strength.

Other objects of the present invention are, to provide a new and improved connection between the supplemental chambers of this type of meter and the valve structure or the gas admitting chamber; to form said connections as integral parts of the upper section, thereby dispensing with the separable members heretofore employed and obviating the disadvantages encountered in connecting the separable members to the valve carrying structure or cover and the said supplemental chambers.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an application of my invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a gas meter embodying my invention;

Figure 2, a similar view taken at right angles to the view of Figure 1;

Figure 3, a top plan view with a portion of the upper section of the housing or the cover removed, and,

Figure 4, detail elevational view particularly showing the manner of attaching the flexible portion or leathers to the metallic members of the supplemental measuring chambers.

As illustrated and as preferred, the gas meter is a meter of the double form, comprising two pairs of measuring chambers, one chamber of each pair being designed to fill while the other two chambers are emptying.

My invention contemplates having a horizontally divided housing or casing, including a lower section 5 and an upper section 6. These sections are formed of cast metal and parts arranged to provide as shown, two vertically extending main measuring chambers 9 and 10.

The lower section 5 is formed with a centrally disposed vertically extending partition member 11 and the upper section 6 with a corresponding partition member 12; said member 12 at its upper end is forked as illustrated at 13 and 14. The respective members 13 and 14 terminate in vertically extending members 15, which latter merge into horizontally disposed members 16 and 17, all formed on the upper section 6.

Located within the respective main measuring chambers 9 and 10 are supplemental measuring chambers 18 and 19. Each of these supplemental chambers are of similar construction and each comprises an outer pan member 20, and inner pan member 21, and a flexible diaphragm 22. The flexible diaphragm is secured to the outer pan or casing member 20 by means of a band 23 and to the inner or head forming pan 21 by a ring 24. The construction or the manner of attaching the leather to the fan members is especially shown by Figures 2 and 4. It will be noted that the members overlap the said flanges of the respective members and are clamped thereto by the band and ring members. This method of securing these parts together does away with the usual string winding and its accompanying disadvantages. The ring 24 is preferably formed with slots at and 6 near its ends to accommodate a tool that is used in placing the ring into binding position.

25 designates a top or cover member designed to be secured to the upper section 6 of the meter housing by means of screw bolts 26, or otherwise. Cover member 25 forms with the horizontally extending partition members 16 and 17 a gas chamber or valve chest 27; said chamber 27 having a gas inlet Hit passage 29 in communication therewith. A gas outlet passage 30 is also shown on the cover and its connection with the measuring chambers will be hereinafter described.

3i designates a register box or housing for a register 32. said register being adapted to be connected up with parts of the meter mechanism in the usual and well known manner.

A. characteristic and important feature of the present invention are the connecting means interposed betv-Jeen the meter valve structure or the top chamber and the supplcmental chambers 18 and 19 for the passage of gas to and from the said suppleiental chambers and the chamber 27.

As shown, these connecting means comprise two hollow menibers 33 formed integrally with tile upper section 6 of the hous ing; the upper ends of the members are in valve controlled communication with chamber 27; one leacs from said chamber 27 to one supplemental chamber 18 and the other to chamber 19. The pan member 20 of each supplemental chamber has a port 20a therein with which the lower projectingends of the respective members conn'minicate. The lower ends of members 33 are secured by welding or some other suitable way to the said outer pans 90 and thus maintain said pans in a fixed position.

The meter structure is provided with two sets of ports, one set for each pair of measur ing chambers. Earn set includes two inlet ports and 36 which are designed to establish communication between the chamber 27 and the respective measuring chambers, port 85 of one set communicates with the main measuring chamber 9 and port 35 of the other set with the other main chamber 10; port 36 of one con'imunicates with the supplemental chamber 18 and the other port 36 with supplemental chamber 19.

The meter is also provided. with an outlet port 37 leading from the measuring crunbers and in communication through passages 38 with the outlet passage 30. The said ports 35, 36 and 37 communicating with the respective main and supplemental measuring chambers are controlled by a valve structure including sliding valve il-,0 mounted on a valve seat 41 and actuated through mechanism coupled up with flag rods 4.2.

This mechanism comprises arms l3 secured to the said flag rods, these arms are designed to cross each other and have their outer ends adjustably connected by links ll with a screw stem l5 on the upperend of. a double crank 46. Extending from the double crank 4-6 are two arms 47 each arm in turn being connected with a rod a8 leading from the valve controlling one set of ports. Two rods are of course provided and each has a portion entered in a slot formed in the upper section 6 of the housing.

T he valve actuating mechanism is operated in the manner shown and described in my former patents above referred to and as this mechanism forms no part of the present invention, it is deemed unnecessary to fully describe herein the said mechanism.

l v hat I claim is:

1. in a gas meter, the combination with a horizontally divided housing comprising upper and lower sections of relatively small height, said sections having co-operat-ing partition members to form a main measuring chamber, a sill plen'iental chamber within the main chamber and having a port in a wall thereof. a hollow member formed on the upper section in communication with the port of the sl'ipplemental chamber, and a cover for the meter having a gas admission inlet and a gas discharge outlet.

2. la a gas meter, the combination with a horizontally divided housing comprising an upper section and a lower section together forming two vertically extending main measuring chambers, asupplemental chamber within each measuring chamber and extending above and l crow the meeting edges of. said sections and having a port in one wall thereof, a hollow member formed on the upper section and havin an end attached to the ported wall of the supplemental chamber and in communication with said chamber, and a cover member forming a valve chest attached to said upper section.

a. In gas meter, :1 housing arranged to be divided horizontally into an upper section and a lower section, each of said sections being partitioned to form a portion of two vertically extending main measuring chambers, a supplemental chamber in each of said main chambers, a wall of each of said sup pleine chambers being provided with a valve controlled port, and a valve chest dis posed upon said main chambers and in com munication with said ports.

4-. In a gas meter, the combination with a horizontally divided housing comprising upper and lower sections of relatively small height said sections having cooperating partition members forming the main measuring chamber, a supplemental chamber within the main chamber and having a port in the wall thereof and a hollow member formed on the upper section communicating with the port or the supplemental chamber.

5. a meter, the combination with a horizontally divided housing comprising up per and lower sections arranged together to provide two main chambers, a part of each chamber being in each section, ported supplemental chambers in said main chambers, a cover for the upper section, and two hollow members formed integrally with the upper section of the housing, said members being in communication with the cover, valves for controlling flow through said hollow members, the lower ends of said members being in communication with the ports of said supplemental chambers.

6. In a gas meter, the combination with a horizontally divided housing comprising upper and lower sections, said sections having cooperating partition members to together form two main measuring chambers, a supplemental chamber within each main chamber, a cover positioned on said upper section, each supplemental chamber including a pan member, two hollow communicating members integrally secured to the upper section of the housing and in communication with the cover section at their upper ends, and at their lower ends in communication with the supplemental chambers, said communicating members being secured to said pan members, and valves for controlling flow through said members.

7. In a. gas meter, a horizontally divided housing comprising a lower section and an upper section, an upright partition in the lower sect-ion, a second partition, Y-shaped when seen in transverse cross section, depending from the upper section and standing upon said upright partition, the two partitions thereby forming two vertically extending main chambers, a pair of supplemental chambers, one being arranged in each main chamber respectively, with its upper portion conforming to the under surface of said Y- shaped partition, the conforming upper portions of the supplemental chambers having ports therein, and passages extending downwardly through the inclined surfaces of said Y -shaped partition into connection with said ports for communicating the supplemental chambers with the outer side of the upper section.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JAMES R. ARMSTRONG. 

